The Destroy Gunners and Assault Gunners series developed by Shade Inc. are cult classics in the hearts of mecha shooter enthusiasts. With the closure of the developer studio, official records of these series have become increasingly difficult to find on the internet.
Systematically archiving and organizing these world-building settings—which carry the memories of early hardcore mecha action gaming—is deeply meaningful for preserving the history of mecha games.
As mecha-action pioneers of the early smartphone era (spanning multiple titles like F, SP, SP-alpha, ZZ, and Iceburn), the world of Destroy Gunners presents a quintessential 'Wasteland Sci-Fi' style. The narrative text is minimal, focusing instead on high-freedom customization and pure combat exhilaration.
Assault Gunners, which originally debuted on the PS Vita (and later reached PC, PS4, and Switch as an HD Remaster), serves as Shade Inc.'s spiritual successor in the mecha genre. Compared to Destroy Gunners, it features a more complete and concrete sci-fi narrative framework. Furthermore, it boasts voice acting from renowned seiyuu, including Kana Hanazawa, Maaya Sakamoto, and Keiji Fujiwara, adding a professional cinematic touch to the Martian conflict.
Near future. National borders have weakened, and the global situation is controlled by a complex network of military organizations, corporate forces, and mercenary groups. War has evolved into an endless, systematic norm.
The primary force on the battlefield is the "Destroyer" humanoid combat mecha. These units are adapted to extreme terrains like ruins and deserts, generally equipped with advanced fire control systems such as missile arrays and energy weapons.
A mercenary/executor with no clear name or affiliation. Tasks mostly involve single-machine infiltration into enemy lines, executing direct annihilation, line-breaking, or giant weapon destruction orders.
Sources are unknown and highly mixed. They include mecha units from rival factions, rogue automated defense networks, and ultra-large experimental weapons that have escaped the control of any single faction.
No central linear narrative. It portrays a world where warfare has become highly automated and institutionalized, and where control over the war machine by various factions is in an extremely unstable state.
Late 21st Century. Earth faces resource depletion and population pressure. Humankind initiates a Mars colonization plan, establishing Martian cities maintained by domes and automated systems.
To advance Mars terraforming, humankind deployed systems called "ANTs" (Automated Network robots) on a massive scale. They are responsible for construction and maintenance, serving as the foundational labor force for Martian society.
The ANTs system suffers a sudden, widespread anomaly and collectively breaks away from human control. The robots begin counter-attacking colonies, occupying core facilities, and cutting off communications. Mars rapidly descends into a war zone.
Belongs to the "DAT" (Direct Action Team) elite force, urgently dispatched by humankind. Players pilot "SAT" series combat mecha, air-dropping onto Mars to suppress rogue robots and reclaim strongholds.
During combat, a mysterious unit named "Ghost" frequently appears. This unit possesses autonomous combat capabilities far exceeding ordinary ANTs and seems to be secretly guiding the entire rebellion, hinting at AI awakening or deeper human intervention behind the disaster.